Thill-coupling



A. ,JAENIGKE. THILL COUPLING.

Patented June 17, 1890.

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( Model.)

r 1% 44 e v A M V// 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH JAENICKE, OF DAVENPORT, IOIVA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,129, dated June 17, 1890.

Application filed October 14,1889. Serial No. 327,047. (No model.)

citizen of the United States, residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Vehicle-Shaft Support, Anti-Rattler, and Eyebolt, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to vehicle-shafts which are aided in their support by aspring, which also performs the function of an anti-rattler by being interposed between the clip-bolt and the shaft-eye; and the objects of my improve- .ments are, first, to aid in balancing or supporting the shaft; second, to provide an antirattler for the shaft-coupling, and, third, to provide an eyebolt which may be readily utilized in attaching or detaching the shaft from the clip-bolt. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view of mydevice; Fig. 2,

. a side View, the clip-bolt being shown in a vertical section. Fig. 3 is an opposite side view. Figs. 4: and 5 are detail views of the eyebolt, bar, and spring.

Similarfigures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

is across-section of a vehicle-axle; 11, the clip-bolt surrounding the same; 12, the clipbar secured in position by means of nuts 13 on the terminal screw-threaded ends of the clip-bolt.

14 are the projecting shackle-bars attached to the clip-bolt, provided with the cross-horizontal apertures 15, for the reception of the eyebolt, and having a central space between such shackle-bars for the reception of the shaft, and which construction is the common or usual form now adopted, and A is the rear end of the shaft or pole eye.

The usual form of eyebolt is one that has a head upon one end and threaded at the other, for the reception of a threaded nut.

My invention, however, consists in an eyebolt 16, provided with a head 17 at one end, and which head is elongated rearwardly, as at 18, provided with two posts 1.9 extending upward from the upper surface of the elongated head, with horizontal cross-apertures 20 extending through the same for the reception of a pin 21. The bar 22 has a cross perforation at one end, and is inserted between posts 19, and the pin 21 is inserted through said apertures in the posts and said bar and secured by riveting, thus hinging said bar 'to the posts. The bar 22 is of sufficient length and so arranged as to rest upon the upper surface of the shackle-bars 14, and its free end extended, as at 23, to form a handle for raising or lowering the same. In the central part of said bar I pass an inverted-U-shaped spring 24, one side of which I rivet to the side of the bar, and so arrange it that when the eyebolt is inserted through the apertures of the shackle-bolt such spring will occupy the space between the shackle-bars and clip-bolt and shaft-eye when the eyebolt is inserted through the same. The lower ends of such springs are turned inward, as at 25 and 26, and are gradually tapered or rounded, so as to be more easily forced into such space. By the reason of such hinged bar and spring no threaded end is required for the eyebolt or nut to secure'it in position, and such spring so attached to the bar presses against the shaft or pole eye and clip-bolt, and thus assistsin supporting or balancing the pole or shaft, and also by reason of such pressure prevents the rattling of the shaft-eye and eyebolt, thus performing the functions of an antirattler. The shaft or pole eye is placed in the space between the shackle-bars, the eyebolt is inserted through the apertures in the shackle-bars and pole or shaft eye, the bar is then swung on its hinge and the spring forced into the space between the shackle-bars and the clip-bolt and pole or shaft eye, and such coupling isthen complete. To remove the shaft or pole, the bar is swung upward on its hinge until such spring is removed from said space, and then the eyebolt is pulled out so as to release the pole or shaft eye.

I am aware that heretofore in the construction of thill or pole coupling springs various forms have been arranged, so that when in an operative position such springs would 00- cupy the space between the shackle-bars and the rear side of the shaft or pole eye and the front side of the clip-bolt. So,too,Iam aware that headless eyebolts have been used with a U-shaped metal guard or spring provided with apertures or indentations at their lower ends, such guard or spring grasping the outer side of the shackle-bars, so as to receive the tapered ends of the headless bolt in such'apertures or indentations, and such guard or spring having a pendent looped spring, which, when in an operative position, would occupy the space between the shackle-bars and the rearside of the pole or shaft eye and the front side of the clip-bar. So, too, I am aware that clip-bolts have been constructed where the end of a strip made of spring material is at tached to one end of the bolt, the other end of the spring-strip extending to theouter side of the other shackle-bar and there receiving the opposite end of said bolt in an aperture or hook in such spring. i I do not claim any of these features, broadly, but confine myself to the substantial construction forming the combination which I have described.

'Mydevice is arranged so as to be quickly placed in an operative position, and to be as quickly removed from an-operative position. The swinging bar and pendent spring, in connectionwith the shackle-bars, perform the function'of a lockfor retaining the eyebolt -:in anoperative position, and its hinge attachnientto the eyebolt renders such locking or unlocking of the eyebolt almost instantaneous. In addition to such functions the bar and spring in an operative position also perform the functions of an anti-rattler and shaftsupport.

What I'claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv The combination, with a vehicle-axle clipbolt, having shackle-bars and a pole or shaft eye, of the eyebolt provided with a head at one end, such head elongated at one side, such elongated side provided-with two parallel upright posts, the horizontal pin through such posts, the swinging bar hinged to such pin, and when in an operative position resting upon the upper "surface of the shackle-bars, the inverted-U-shaped spring pendently and centrally attached to such swinging bar, and when in an operative position located in" the space between the shackle-bars and the rear side of the shaft-eye and front side of the clip-bolt, substantially asdescribed.

ADOLPH J AENICKE. Witnesses:

CHAs. HIBBARD,

LOUIS G. SUSEMIHL. 

